1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of connection devices and more particularly to an interconnection assembly having contacts oriented in a z-axis to minimize the assembly footprint in an x-y plane.
2. History of Related Art
Data processing systems such as desktop computers and server devices typically include one or more printed circuit boards (also referred to as adapter cards) that connect to the computer's mother board via a peripheral bus. These adapter cards expand the capability of the data processing system by providing dedicated hardware and code to off load various I/O tasks from the main processor(s). The Peripheral Component Interface (PCI), as specified in PCI Local Bus Specification Rev. 2.2 (PCI Special Interest Group, is a widely implemented example of such a peripheral bus).
PCI adapter cards are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and powerful. Whereas traditional PCI cards tended to support a single function and a single external interface, an increasing number of today's adapter cards are capable of supporting multiple interfaces. Some Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) adapters, for example, can support four SCSI channels and therefore must have 4 SCSI external connectors on the adapter. As PCI adapters continue to increase in performance and functionality, the amount of space the external connections require is becoming a significant limitation such that the number of connections an adapter card can support may not be limited by the adapter's performance capability. Instead, the limiting factor may be the amount of area that is available to attach external connectors to an adapter card. This problem will be most acute where the type of interface being supported by the adapter is a high pin count interface such as SCSI. In addition, the physical connection and locking mechanism necessary to attach the connector to the card. such that the connection will be secure during operation becomes more difficult in high pin count adapters. It would be highly desirable, therefore, to implement an interconnection assemble that accommodates high pin count connections while addressing the spatial constraints commonly encountered. It would further desirable if the implemented solution did not significantly increase the cost or complexity of the interconnection assembly.